RoboPreacher

they thin my heart with little things & my life with change A sermon on Jesus' trial before Pilate We’ve all heard that the church and state are a deadly mix. I’m enlightening no one by saying politics and religion are a combustible combination. However , in today’s passage, we see these two forces are plenty fatal all on their own . Although not fatal in any active way. No, what’s really so lethal about these two implements is their ineffectiveness . Their ineffectiveness. The violence is set in motion with a religious concern. The church leaders can’t bring their accusations against Jesus to Pilate. The problem is, if they were to set foot in Pilate’s profane headquarters, they would be defiled . And if that were to happen, these clergy wouldn’t be able to preside at the upcoming high-holy day. In a moment, we’ll discuss how that’s addressed. But for now, it’s enough just to notice the irony of it all. These religious teachers are desperately trying to do in Jesus, the...

it's someplace that you've been A sermon on Peter's denial and the aftermath : Peter had always been so sure that if the moment ever arose, he’d stand tall for Jesus. Good ol’ Pete just knew he had it in him. That he had the makings of a courageous disciple for Jesus.   Martin Luther referred to this kind of plot as a “ glory story.” An account of our lives wherein we star as the leading actor. A script in which we are featured as the main character who carries the weight of the entire drama.   We love these glory stories, too. Don’t we? In fact, they’re about all that’s playing in the theaters. Those stories where the protagonist pulls themselves up by their bootstraps, digs deep , and goes the distance too. And yes , in the course of the narrative, the hero can stumble. Just so long as they don’t outright fall , fail , or fold . But that’s not what happens in today’s Scripture. Is it? This is because this isn’t Hollywood. This is the Bible . And the Bible is for r...

when the wind goes the other way A sermon on Jesus washing of the disciples' feet Seeing as it’s Lent, I’ll begin with a confession : I am a total fan of the pop darling Carly Rae Jepsen. * Any fans? Lest you think I’m making this disclosure in jest , I offer exhibits A through E as evidence against myself. Even more troublesome, though, is if you don’t know Carly’s music, I implore you to rectify this omission as quickly as possible! I’d begin with her 2015 album, “ Emotion .”   Well, seeing as I’ve already made one confession, I’ll make another : I have no shame about this admission! And I don’t have any guilt about it, either! Carly’s songs are syrupy -sweet, and shockingly sophisticated , too. She’s a consummate pop musician.   As such, her songs are about one thing and one thing only . Something we all have a stake in, to some degree. I’m talking about, of course, love . If you hadn’t already guessed that from the fact she named an entire album “ Emotion .” What’...

the world back around A sermon on the raising of Lazarus : Amanda got me this great watch for Mardi Gras. But you have to wind it. For now , though, it’s still novel . It’s not too bothersome. Plus, it gives me something to do. But it’s also made time a little less abstract . Every time I have to wind my watch, I’m reminded once again that time is finite . That it adds up. That it counts down . That it runs out .   And that is what happened to Martha, Mary, and their brother, Lazarus. Didn’t it? Time ran out . And the one they called on in those final desperate minutes proved to be no good at timing .   “Lord, if you had been here.” That’s the only thing Martha could bring herself to say when Jesus showed up to her brother’s burial four days too late . …I went to make my first visit delivery of ashes a little after 9 am this year. The woman I visited, Barb, is recovering from a broken ankle. And although she is making progress, it’s not going as fast as she’d lik...

give out to give in An Ash Wednesday sermon on Jesus' Good Shepherd Sermon : Shortly we will be marked with ashes . Ashes made from the branches we triumphantly waived on Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday, that day we let ourselves dream , if only for a day, that the path to Easter would be an easy one. Tonight, though , we are marked with the ashes of that dream .   But that isn’t the only dream of ours to have gone down in ashes . Is it? There are ashes of other dreams that we are marked by this evening. None of us walk such a cleared path that we don’t come through these doors unmarked by the ashes of dreams that have come to nothing . There are the garden-variety fantasies . Idle dreams of a bigger bank account, a larger home, and a sports car, too. All to go with that winning smile, trim waistline, and, while we’re at it, full head of hair. But then there are the ashes of other dreams. Aren’t there? Dreams that are closer to the heart . Dreams that reveal our deepest ...